Providing Adoptive Parents With Information About Adoptees and Their Birth Families - District of Columbia

Date: August 2020

Agency or Person Preparing the Report

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-307

Upon the filing of a petition, the court shall refer the petition for investigation, report, and recommendation to the following:

  • The licensed child-placing agency by which the case is supervised
  • The Mayor, if the case is not supervised by a licensed child-placing agency

Contents of Report About the Adopted Person

Citation: Ann. Code §§ 16-305; 16-307

The petition shall contain the following information:

  • The name, sex, date, and place of birth of the prospective adopted person
  • The relationship, if any, of the prospective adopted person to the petitioner
  • The race and religion of the prospective adopted person

The report and recommendation shall include an investigation of the environment, antecedents, and assets, if any, of the prospective adopted person, to determine whether he or she is a proper subject for adoption.

Contents of Report About the Birth Family

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-305

The petition shall contain the following information:

  • The names, addresses, and residences of the birth parents, if known to the petitioner; except in an adoption proceeding that is consented to by the Mayor or a licensed child-placing agency, the names, addresses, and residences of the birth parents may not be set forth
  • The race and religion of the adopted person's birth parent or parents

When the Report Is Made

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-307

The report is made upon the filing of an adoption petition.

Exceptions for Stepparent or Relative Adoptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-308

The court may dispense with the investigation and report when either of the following apply:

  • The prospective adopted person is an adult.
  • The petitioner is a spouse or domestic partner of the birth parent of the prospective adopted person, and the birth parent consents to the adoption or joins in the petition for adoption.

The term 'domestic partner' shall have the same meaning as provided in § 32-701(3) but shall exclude a domestic partner who is the parent, grandparent, sibling, child, grandchild, niece, nephew, aunt, or uncle of the birth parent.

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